Population 6,272 · Census ACS 2020–24
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Population and households in Southwest Hills
Household size in Southwest Hills
| Period | Southwest Hills | Portland area | Oregon | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 2.41 | 2.57 | 2.50 | 2.68 |
| 2010–14 | 2.32 | 2.63 | 2.55 | 2.73 |
| 2015–19 | 2.29 | 2.63 | 2.56 | 2.71 |
| 2020–24 | 2.28 | 2.51 | 2.50 | 2.65 |
| Change | −0.13 | −0.06 | +0.00 | −0.03 |
Households in Southwest Hills are small: just 2.28 people on average, compared with 2.65 nationally. That is typical of places where many people live alone or as couples, and fewer have children at home. Household size has dropped from 2.41 in 2006–10, a much bigger shift than nationally.
Household size: the average number of people living in each occupied home. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B25010).
Median age in Southwest Hills
| Period | Southwest Hills | Portland area | Oregon | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 41.8 | 37.3 | 39.0 | 37.7 |
| 2010–14 | 45.3 | 38.3 | 40.0 | 38.6 |
| 2015–19 | 43.5 | 39.3 | 40.9 | 39.6 |
| 2020–24 | 42.7 | 41.0 | 41.6 | 40.1 |
| Change | +0.9 | +3.7 | +2.5 | +2.3 |
Southwest Hills skews a little older than the country: its median age is 42.7, against 40.1 nationally. Since 2006–10, the median age has climbed from 41.8, as it has nationally. The youngest areas are in the northeast, the oldest in the south.
Median age: the age that splits residents into two equal halves. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B01002).
Single-parent households in Southwest Hills
| Period | Southwest Hills | Portland area | Oregon | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 6.4% | 10.5% | 10.5% | 12.3% |
| 2010–14 | 3.5% | 10.3% | 10.8% | 12.3% |
| 2015–19 | 4.2% | 9.4% | 9.9% | 11.6% |
| 2020–24 | 6.4% | 9.5% | 10.4% | 11.6% |
| Change | −0.1 pts | −1.0 pts | −0.1 pts | −0.6 pts |
Single parents head only 6.4% of households in Southwest Hills, well below the national share of 11.6%. Southwest Hills has a lower share of single-parent households than most Portland neighborhoods.
Single-parent households: households where one adult with no spouse present lives with children under 18. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B11003).
Housing in Southwest Hills
Renters in Southwest Hills
| Period | Southwest Hills | Portland area | Oregon | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 29.2% | 36.6% | 36.2% | 33.3% |
| 2010–14 | 27.1% | 39.1% | 38.5% | 35.6% |
| 2015–19 | 29.5% | 37.6% | 37.6% | 36.0% |
| 2020–24 | 28.0% | 38.3% | 36.7% | 34.8% |
| Change | −1.2 pts | +1.7 pts | +0.5 pts | +1.5 pts |
Most households in Southwest Hills own their homes; 28.0% rent, below the national share of 34.8%. Nearly a third of owners (32.3%) have paid off their mortgages, below the national share of 39.8%. Renting is most common in the northeast and least common in the southwest. The renter share is down 1.2 points from 2006–10, even as the national share rose.
Renters: occupied homes that are rented rather than owned. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B25003).
Vacant homes in Southwest Hills
| Period | Southwest Hills | Portland area | Oregon | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 9.2% | 7.4% | 8.9% | 11.4% |
| 2010–14 | 8.4% | 6.8% | 9.1% | 11.4% |
| 2015–19 | 9.1% | 6.1% | 8.3% | 11.1% |
| 2020–24 | 6.8% | 7.1% | 7.4% | 9.6% |
| Change | −2.4 pts | −0.3 pts | −1.5 pts | −1.8 pts |
Fewer homes sit empty in Southwest Hills than nationally: 6.8%, against 9.6% for the U.S. That is in line with the rest of the Portland area. Vacancy has fallen 2.4 points since 2006–10, mirroring the country.
Vacant homes: homes with no one living in them, including vacation homes and homes for sale or rent. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B25002).
Age of homes in Southwest Hills
| Period | Southwest Hills | Portland area | Oregon | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 1952 | 1977 | 1976 | 1974 |
| 2010–14 | 1956 | 1978 | 1977 | 1975 |
| 2015–19 | 1956 | 1980 | 1978 | 1977 |
| 2020–24 | 1956 | 1981 | 1981 | 1980 |
| Change | +5 | +4 | +5 | +6 |
Southwest Hills is a place of older homes: half were built before 1956, while the national median is 1980. That means established neighborhoods, and more houses that may need updating. The median year built has moved up from 1952 in 2006–10, a sign of steady new building. Newer construction is concentrated in the east, while the center has the oldest housing.
Age of homes: the year that splits the housing stock into older and newer halves. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B25035).
Rent in Southwest Hills
| Period | Southwest Hills | Portland area | Oregon | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | $1,144 | $961 | $870 | $965 |
| 2010–14 | $1,422 | $1,105 | $982 | $1,040 |
| 2015–19 | $1,749 | $1,374 | $1,183 | $1,213 |
| 2020–24 | $1,750 | $1,794 | $1,601 | $1,571 |
| Change | +$607 | +$833 | +$731 | +$606 |
A typical rental in Southwest Hills costs $1,750 a month with utilities, above the national median of $1,571. Rent has climbed $607 a month since 2006–10, up 53%, a slower climb than the nation's. The typical renter here spends 33.4% of household income on rent, well over the 30% mark often used to define affordable rent, so many renters here are stretched. The priciest rents are in the center; the most affordable are in the east.
Rent: monthly rent plus the utilities renters pay themselves. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B25064).
Education in Southwest Hills
Bachelor's degrees in Southwest Hills
| Period | Southwest Hills | Portland area | Oregon | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 73.7% | 33.3% | 29.0% | 28.4% |
| 2010–14 | 75.7% | 34.5% | 30.2% | 29.6% |
| 2015–19 | 82.9% | 39.2% | 33.5% | 32.1% |
| 2020–24 | 83.8% | 42.6% | 36.4% | 35.6% |
| Change | +10.1 pts | +9.3 pts | +7.3 pts | +7.2 pts |
College graduates are unusually common in Southwest Hills: 83.8% of adults 25 and older have a bachelor's degree or higher, against 35.6% nationally. Education tends to track local incomes and the kinds of jobs nearby. The share with a degree has risen 10.1 points since 2006–10, mirroring the country. No other Portland neighborhood has a higher share of college graduates.
Bachelor's degrees: adults 25 and older with a bachelor's degree or higher. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B15003).
High school graduates in Southwest Hills
| Period | Southwest Hills | Portland area | Oregon | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 98.1% | 90.0% | 88.5% | 84.9% |
| 2010–14 | 98.0% | 90.6% | 89.4% | 86.1% |
| 2015–19 | 98.4% | 91.9% | 90.5% | 87.7% |
| 2020–24 | 99.8% | 93.2% | 91.5% | 89.3% |
| Change | +1.7 pts | +3.2 pts | +3.0 pts | +4.3 pts |
Finishing high school is nearly universal in Southwest Hills: 99.8% of adults 25 and older have a diploma or equivalent, well above the national rate of 89.3%. Since 2006–10, the share with a diploma has risen 1.7 points, as it has nationally. Southwest Hills has the highest share of high school graduates of any Portland neighborhood.
High school graduates: adults 25 and older with a high school diploma, GED or more. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B15003).
Jobs in Southwest Hills
| Period | Southwest Hills | Portland area | Oregon | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 6.7% | 8.6% | 8.8% | 8.1% |
| 2010–14 | 10.6% | 9.6% | 10.6% | 9.4% |
| 2015–19 | 5.7% | 4.7% | 5.6% | 5.6% |
| 2020–24 | 3.6% | 4.6% | 5.3% | 5.4% |
| Change | −3.1 pts | −4.0 pts | −3.5 pts | −2.7 pts |
Jobs have been easier to find in Southwest Hills than nationally: unemployment was 3.6%, against 5.4%. Since 2006–10, unemployment has fallen 3.1 points, mirroring the country. Because the Census pools five years of responses (2020–24), these rates smooth over short swings and lag the current job market.
Unemployment: people looking for work as a share of everyone working or looking. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B23025).
Southwest Hills compared with nearby neighborhoods
| Neighborhood | Household size | Median age | Single parents | Renters | Vacant homes | Median year built | Median rent | Bachelor's degree | High school diploma | Unemployment |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Southwest Hills | 2.28 | 42.7 | 6.4% | 28.0% | 6.8% | 1956 | $1,750 | 83.8% | 99.8% | 3.6% |
| Homestead | 1.84 | 38.1 | 8.0% | 65.2% | 7.7% | 1966 | $1,632 | 75.9% | 97.9% | 0.8% |
| University District | 1.41 | 40.1 | 2.8% | 84.8% | 12.2% | 1987 | $1,399 | 53.1% | 92.1% | 7.9% |
| Bridlemile | 2.38 | 41.5 | 8.6% | 31.4% | 5.7% | 1967 | $1,697 | 75.2% | 98.8% | 4.0% |
| Northwest | 1.52 | 36.9 | 2.8% | 79.2% | 9.2% | 1966 | $1,663 | 68.8% | 96.9% | 5.5% |
| Corbett-Terwilliger-Lair Hill | 1.79 | 42.1 | 8.1% | 59.4% | 9.7% | 1994 | $1,936 | 75.9% | 99.4% | 4.9% |
| Hillsdale | 2.31 | 42.1 | 7.4% | 37.4% | 5.9% | 1965 | $1,602 | 67.8% | 96.7% | 2.4% |
| Hayhurst | 2.27 | 48.3 | 9.2% | 39.0% | 5.4% | 1966 | $1,927 | 70.2% | 99.1% | 1.5% |
| Pearl District | 1.46 | 40.2 | 3.1% | 72.9% | 14.1% | 2007 | $1,812 | 75.3% | 99.4% | 3.6% |
| Slabtown | 1.42 | 33.6 | 1.7% | 85.6% | 8.0% | 2003 | $1,796 | 69.6% | 99.1% | 9.8% |
| Old Town-Chinatown | 1.45 | 42.1 | 1.4% | 91.9% | 19.7% | 1984 | $1,119 | 36.9% | 87.7% | 10.5% |
All figures 2020–24.
Neighborhoods with similar populations: Atlantic, Seattle, WA · Pipers Meadow, San Antonio, TX · Original Thornton, Thornton, CO · Old West Durham, Durham, NC · North Image, Vancouver, WA · North Avondale, Cincinnati, OH · Near North, Minneapolis, MN · Mountain Creek, Pflugerville, TX · Mount Lookout, Cincinnati, OH · Rabbit Creek, Anchorage, AK
About these numbers
Every figure on this page is a BestNeighborhood calculation from the Census Bureau's American Community Survey (ACS), built up from the Census block groups that make up Southwest Hills. Each ACS 5-year release pools five years of responses; this page shows the last 15 releases, 2006–10 through 2020–24. Neighboring releases share four of their five years, so they move gradually and small changes between them are within the survey's margin of error; in small places the lines can jump from one release to the next for the same reason. The maps show the same measures for each neighborhood, ranked against the whole country.
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